September 08, 2008

NO! What do you mean No?

Just No, that was the response from the Health Department. No to installing a short system to tide us over until sewer comes through, No to building a new full system, and No to repairing the one we have.Take a breath, here's a kitten.My septic guy was just as confounded as we were. I guess the rationale is that although the short system would be ideal, the Health Dept. has no guarantee that we will hook up to Sewer as soon as it comes through, even if we promise, or sign papers, they cannot make us. So that option is off the table. No to a new full system, I am not sure of the rationale behind this one, I think it is because we don't have a proper reserve, or because it is too close to our patio?No to repairing the old system, because it cannot be repaired while people are using the system, that is what I gleened anyway.So when confronted by septic guy she said she would think about it and get back to us.Here is what she came up with,A timer on the system.Yup, just a timer on the pump that turns on over a 24 hour system to slow the leaching into the damaged field.Now this will cost around $1,000. versus the 25-30 thousand for a new system so I should be happy. But I am not, and here's why. If we have trouble with the timer system and the leach field, it backs up into the house, as it is, if there is trouble it overwhelms the system and comes up in the yard.Which would you rather have, effluent in the yard? or coming up in the house?It's okay..... More kittensMy septic guy was not happy, so he will be working with the Health Dept over the next few weeks to come up with a better solution.On a happier note, we have cut back our water use by half what it was last year, and the equivalent of a two person household!! (we have 5)Yea us.Now! More Kittens!!

Comments

I feel your pain. We haven't encountered something like this with the house...but we are going through chaos with government offices here in Germany just so we can name our kid. Sounds absurd and it is...but they have laws about what you can use as a name and if you have a girl, you must use at least one name that identifies her sex... So we manage to pick names that are only unisex (of course) which means our poor daughter is going to be forced to have 3 first names.

Why do we need these people in government offices? Can's we just exchange them with those computers that are voice activated? I swear we'd still get just as many useful answers from them!

Best of luck with the sewer issue...and thank goodness for adorable little kitties, right? ;)